Sun’s out, dinos out. The annual ARK: Survival Ascended Summer Bash is back, and Studio Wildcard wants you to grab your squirt gun, slap on some dino-safe sunscreen, and get ready for a prehistoric beach party that’s 90% fun, 10% deadly.
The 2025 Summer Bash event is now in full swing across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, letting survivors enjoy double XP, double harvest rates, and double taming speeds. If you’ve been looking for an excuse to finally tame that stubborn Rex or breed an army of angry raptors, this is your moment.
And because no summer bash is complete without ridiculous outfits, ARK is handing out new cosmetics like the “Gone Fishing” t-shirt, matching swimsuits, squirt guns, and even a Flower Crown Hat—because nothing says apex predator like a floral accessory. There’s also a new Tackle Box, Fishing Chair, and a slippery little beast called the Slidy ‘n Slippery Kairuku—track one down, snag some popsicles, and craft limited-time event gear while you’re at it.
Of course, if you’re still dino-less, now’s the time to fix that: ARK: Survival Ascended is currently 50% off on Steam, down to $22.49, with hefty discounts on DLC like Bob’s Tall Tales and Fantastic Tames. And if your survival itch extends beyond dinosaurs, check out our roundup of the best Steam Summer Sale gaming deals—because frankly, it’s not just the dinos that are getting ridiculous discounts this month.
If you missed ARK the first time around (or just want an Unreal Engine 5 glow-up), Survival Ascended is the definitive version: tame, train, breed, and ride dinos in a living sandbox where the only thing more dangerous than the wildlife is your own poor decision-making. (Pro tip: don’t punch a Trike without a backup plan.)
The ARK Summer Bash 2025 event is live now, bringing all the fishing, floaties, and prehistoric party vibes you could ask for—along with the occasional angry Therizinosaurus crashing your beach day. Survivors can dive in right now and check out the event trailer below for a glimpse of the summer mayhem (and the fashion).
And if your survival tastes lean more zombie than dino, don’t miss our coverage of the Midnight Walkers playtest. Or if you’d rather battle the desert and the spice itself, dive into our Dune: Awakening review and Deep Desert guide—because survival’s always better when you’re slightly underprepared.
